Although they’re literally everywhere now, Temple Terrace was one of Florida’s very first planned golf course communities.
In the early 1920s, after completing John Ringling’s Ca’ d’Zan palace in Sarasota, New York-based architect Dwight Baum was recruited to help build a handful of Spanish Mediterranean-style homes around what is now the Temple Terrace golf course.
Today, only a few are left, and one is currently on the market.
Located at 215 Willowick Ave., the home was completed by Baum in 1926, and is considered to be just one of 19 still standing.
It’s unclear exactly how many original Temple Terrace homes were initially built, though it’s believed around 30-40 were completed at the time.
While Baum was involved with the majority of the original homes, the first 10 were actually designed by architect M. Leo Elliott, who also built Tampa’s Centro Asturiano in Ybor City and the old city hall.
Baum died of a heart attack in 1939, and is probably best known for the Cà d’Zan, as well as the Sarasota Times Building and the Sarasota County Courthouse. But his Temple Terrace homes are considered to be the largest collection of his work in the Southwest.
Over the years the house has had a few notable owners, including James R. Cope, the former 2nd president of Florida Christian College (now referred to as Florida College), and it was also the childhood home of John L. Perry, owner and publisher of the now-shuttered Temple Terrace Sentinel.
Perry’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Lawerence Perry, moved from Tampa into the home in 1936.
In a letter provided to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, John Perry explains how the two-story house was rare at the time because, well, it had “a full dining room.”
“When Temple Terrace was first developed, many of the those homes had no dining room. The idea was that everyone would take the evening meal at the club house, which later became the Florida Bible Institute [Florida College],” wrote Perry.
“The Temple Terrace population was something short of 200,” he continued. “Our telephone service was provided through a ‘central office’ in a small building near the gold club. A live operator would plug in your call for you on a switchboard. If my mother wanted to know my whereabouts, she would phone ‘central’ and the operator would call around Temple Terrace to locate would had seen me on my bicycle lately.”
Today, the 2,797 square-foot home comes with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, original hardwood floors and tiling, a fireplace, a “full dining room,” a pool and more.
According to property records the home was last purchased in 1999 for $213,000. The home is currently asking $870,000 and the realtor is Sarah DiMonaco.
Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell Tampa Bay’s story through the lens of our community’s historic and colorful homes. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s real estate features are not ads, and are strictly operated through our editorial department. But we love public input. Do you know of a unique Florida home that we should highlight? Let us know, and email cwolf@cltampa.com.
A historic Temple Terrace home designed by Ringling architect Dwight Baum
Although they’re literally everywhere now, Temple Terrace was one of Florida’s very first planned golf course communities. In the early 1920s, after completing John Ringling’s Ca’ d’Zan palace in Sarasota, New York-based architect Dwight Baum was recruited to help build a handful of Spanish Mediterranean-style homes around what is now the Temple Terrace golf course. Today, only a few are left, and one hit the market last summer. Located at 215 Willowick Ave., the home was completed by Baum in 1926, and is considered to be just one of 19 still standing. It’s unclear exactly how many original Temple Terrace homes were initially built, though it’s believed around 30-40 were completed at the time. While Baum was involved with the majority of the original homes, the first 10 were actually designed by architect M. Leo Elliott, who also built Tampa’s Centro Asturiano in Ybor City and the old city hall. Baum died of a heart attack in 1939, and is probably best known for the Cà d’Zan, as well as the Sarasota Times Building and the Sarasota County Courthouse. But his Temple Terrace homes are considered to be the largest collection of his work in the Southwest. Over the years the house has had a few notable owners, including James R. Cope, the former 2nd president of Florida Christian College (now referred to as Florida College), and it was also the childhood home of John L. Perry, owner and publisher of the now-shuttered Temple Terrace Sentinel. Perry’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Lawerence Perry, moved from Tampa into the home in 1936. In a letter provided to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, John Perry explains how the two-story house was rare at the time because, well, it had “a full dining room.” “When Temple Terrace was first developed, many of the those homes had no dining room. The idea was that everyone would take the evening meal at the club house, which later became the Florida Bible Institute [Florida College],” wrote Perry. “The Temple Terrace population was something short of 200,” he continued. “Our telephone service was provided through a ‘central office’ in a small building near the gold club. A live operator would plug in your call for you on a switchboard. If my mother wanted to know my whereabouts, she would phone ‘central’ and the operator would call around Temple Terrace to locate would had seen me on my bicycle lately.” Today, the 2,797 square-foot home comes with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, original hardwood floors and tiling, a fireplace, a “full dining room,” a pool and more.
See more photos here Credit: Photo by James Ostrand
